The 1,000 fans were protesting at the way the club is being run under Gillett and Hicks and the level of debt accrued – chanting ‘What do we want, Yanks Out; When do we want it, now’ – not to mention the team’s poor form in the run-up to the game.

Gillett and Hicks were in attendance in the directors box with beach balls being lobbed onto the pitch before the game from the Kop.

It was meant to serve as a joke aimed at the Americans and also to deflate the United supporters.

Although Wayne Rooney found the net in the third minute, only to be ruled offside, Liverpool carved out the best chances in the first half.

Fabio Aurelio saw his free-kick turned away by Edwin van der Sar 12 minutes later then the goalkeeper blocked the rebound from Dirk Kuyt.

Kuyt squandered a good chance on 19 minutes following a mistake by Paul Scholes and Aurelio headed into the Dutchman’s arm 18 minutes later.

In between Wayne Rooney sent a soft header into Jose Reina’s arms but the second half really belonged to Liverpool.

Daniel Agger headed wide from an Aurelio free kick before Torres sent a shot a across the face of the goal after being released by Dirk Kuyt.

The moment Liverpool fans had waited for came in the 65th minute. Torres skipped clear of Rio Ferdinand following a glorious through ball from Yossi Benayoun and the finish was emphatic.

The cheers from the Kop turned to jeers nine minutes later when former favourite Michael Owen came on.

He did not have a sniff of a chance and Ngog sealed victory in stoppage time after Lucas sprung the offside trap.

The Liverpool supporters raised the roof as tempers flared both on and off the pitch as their side got back on track.